Grenade thrower



Ial'cl' 7, 1950 E, GARRETT l 2,499,379

GRENADE THROWER Filed Dec. 26, 1944 AT'TORNEY Patented Mar. 7, 1950 GRENADE THROWER Emil Garrett, United States Marine Corps Application December 26, 1944, Serial No. 569,870

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to rearms, particularly to those of the type designated generally as grenade throwers or projectors.

Devices for throwing or projecting grenades or the like are well known and have taken numerous forms. Some are adapted to be mounted upon an ordinary rearm such as a riile, while others are specially designed solely for the purpose of throwing grenades or the like. My invention relates to devices of the latter type.

It is the object of my invention to provide an improved grenade thrower or projector which will throw devices such as grenades and which is so constructed that there is substantially no sound and no ilash resulting from the explosion of the charge.

Other objects will be apparent as the description progresses in connection with the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the rearm;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing a grenade in the barrel and a cartridge in the cartridge chamber before the firearm is discharged;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 except that it shows the parts in the position just after the cartridge has been red and the grenade thrown towards the target;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional View taken along the line 5--5 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 6 is an isometric projection showing the relation of the hammer, ring pin and trigger.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 3 a pressure cylinder 3 is reduced in diameter at its right end, where it is attached as by a threaded joint 4 to a coaxial grenade barrel 5. A bushing 6 is fixed in the reduced end portion of the cylinder 4 where it joins the barrel 5, and has a central bore 'I for the passage of a piston rod 3 which has a piston 9 at one end, sliding in the cylinder 3, and a round projector plate I0 -at the other end, sliding'in the barrel 5. -On the inside of the cylinder 3 andxed against the bushing 6 is a sealing member in the form of a Iresilient shock absorber or bumper II of rubber or the like and which has a central opening aligned with the bore l in the bushing. On the side towards the piston the bumperiIl has a conical recess which substantially mates with the conical underside of the piston. The diameter of the bore 'I is such as-to permit the discharge of` airfrom the cylinder 3 by passing between the rod 8 and the wall ofy the bore during the movement of the piston to the right, since there is no other means provided to permit the discharge of this trapped air` the left end portion of the cylinder 3. A coiled compression spring I5 within the cylinder 3 may have its left end fastened to the end cap I2.l

The right end of the spring bears against the. underside of the head of the piston Ill, and when` the piston is in its rightmost position the spring.

may be slightly compressed.

A handgrip I6 is attached by any suitable means to the bottom of the cylinder 3, and contains among other things a vertical cartridge chamber Il for the reception of a cartridge I8.`

A cartridge barrel I9, which is coaxial with the chamber and may be integral with handgrip I6, extends vertically upwards into the cylinder 3,

forming a limiting stop for both the piston 9y and the piston I 4. The barrel I9 is of such length and diameter that any powder from the cartridge will be completely burned before it is blown out of the barrel and into the cylinder 3.

The lower part 20 of the handgrip I6 forms a breech block and holds the cartridge I8 in the cartridge chamber I'I which is in the upper part 2 I of the handgrip, the breech block being pivotally attached to the upper part 2| by a pin 22.

The breech block 20 is held closed against the upper part 2I of the handgrip by means of a breech block lock which has a pair of spaced*l legs 23 and 24 (Figs. 1 and 5) connected at their lower ends by a cross-pin 25, to form a substantially U-shaped unit. The unit is pivotally attached to the upper part 2I by pins 25 which f are fastenedthereto and which pass throughthe upper portions of the legs 23 and 24. When the breech block is closed against the'. upper part of the handgrip the unit is turned downwardly tothe position .shown in Fig. 1 and in dotted lines in Fig. 4, in which position the cross-:pin f 25 engages a slot 21,in the breech block to lock z it in place.

As shown in Fig. 4'the breech block 20 has'a recess. or passageway; 28 ,therein whichaccom-:r-s

The length of the rod 8 is such that when the piston 9 is in its extreme right position as shown in Fig. 3 the plate I9 will still be within.I

-2I of the handgrip, and has a central opening through which a firing pin 34, integral with' the hammerk 29, protrudes to engage the cartridge.

- when the hammer is moved upwardly or counter'- clockwise about the pivot 22. Thusewhen; theV hammer is pushed downwardly and thenouickly. released the spring 3| will snap'itback upwardly and the firing pin will strike and fire; theU cartridge.

vA trigger 35 is .pivoted,atxitsf'upper endon a.. pivot 36 in the upper portion 2`|- ofthe-handgrip and can be rotated clockwise about the pivot against-v ae trigger spring 3l. whichA issseated' in aarecess inzthe upper. portion.2l.of. the-hand;- grip.` The; outer i'end...of thee hammer: 29. is `wider.

than the rest of the: hammer', and'. this: Wide: porifionphas an: inclined camfollowerzface' 39 as'v shown.: in'zFigsr and-.5.. The: lower orffreeeend.

fofithe;trigger:V 3'5Z terminates in a cam face 49,'

which' engagesr the cam'.A follower facet!!l Thus 'ast' the.v trigger isi pulled itsv carni; face' l presses ydown on: the camzffollowerf face 39: causing the hammer 29 to rota-tain a` clockwise direction; When thetrigger has been moved'sufliciently fanforthe cam facesd'to clear. the canrfol- 4 can pass through. and out of the barrel 5. At the same time the recoil piston I4 moves to the left under the pressure of the expanding gases from the explosion, and compresses the spring I5 and the air trapped under the piston. The impact resulting when the piston 9 with its connected elements strikes?y theishock absorber or bumper IIiacts asl-'a 'counterf recoil.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or.. essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects*- as; illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing f description, and all changes which come within lower; face: 39; onxtlie hammer,A the.` hammer snapsv upwardly duev to; ther force of. the f compressed spring3I; and. the'ringipin 34 'strikes the car'- tridge'= to explodefit.: InA Fig.v 4; the rtriggery 35 andshammer. 29.*are'sh'own in solid lines'in the.

.respectivel positions* that they" have before' the trigger is pulled. They arealsoishown inA dotted lines in the positions thattheyhave after the hammer? has been pressed down by the trigger and; then: released to.' fire: the cartridgef Thetriggerandits: cam clear= the hammer to allow it.to snapfupwardsduea to.' the fact'that thetrigger; isoffsetftoz the `left1of the hammer as Viewed in1.Fig;',5" wherebythe cam face' of the trigger' engages-only the wider 'outer endoflthe hammer. Altriggerf guard. 4I is: suitably Afastened tothe undersidetof the; cylinder: 33' so that itis locatedV substantially in. front: of. thel trigger asv shown inLFg; 5s,

In operationthe cartridge.. is loaded into its chamber-by opening# theY breech block'lock' so that? the b'reech blocklcanibe. swung to'its open position;v inserting'tl'ie'cartridge, and then Closingr andzloclcingrthe breech block. When the breechxblock'Ztl 'is swung open asv stated, gas remailling-inthe pressure cylinder 3 from a previousiiring: escapes byejecting the.vv empty cartridge-,z case from the: chamber Il.. The piston I4# will beir resting. against. the? stop providedI by the;` cartridgeibarrel ISldue toV the. force exerted. byfthesspring I 5.. The; piston.` 9- may?, bepusl'ied totliefg'positionishown in Fig; 2 by'pressing.against thegplateflwithza: rod or. therlike inserted' into' thea barrel, but: generally'l this is done by the..

act? of inserting" the.T grenade 42'. whichv is to: be'.V thrnwnto the .positionzshowniin Fig.: 2. WhenA theitrig'ger is" pressed Fand '.the cartridge.: fired. the'.v expanding;Y gases" from; thez. resulting., explosion; blowfthe piston ..9;.outwardlyf tot' ej ectthegrenade; and the piston 9 strikes the shock absorber: or bumper I I, .sealinggtheiecentral .bore:,1.,so:.th`at vno soundnrflashfromithezexplosiorriofzthemartridge;:-

the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims-are', thereforegintended to be embraced therein;

The invention described herein may be manufa'ctured" and used: byI or for `the Government: of

kthe United States .ofAmericaxfor governmentalr purposes without thepayment of' any' royalties thereon' or." therefor.

I .claim 1. A rearmtparticularl'y'for the throwingfof" grenades. orthe'like, comprising; an elongated cylinder. a'zbushin'g in;one portion` thereof' and" having-'a bore coaxial withsaid cylinder, dividingsaid cylinder into azpressurev cylinderandargrenaderbarreha rst pistonreciprocable within said: pressure: cylinder and having;- a. piston rod extendingv through. the. bores in said bushingr and into. the Y grenade.` barrel; azsecond .pistonireciproacable withinxsaid pressurecylinder'and.located'v f in a portion thereof remote from said bushing.' and rbarrel;resilient'means so'. located.` within saidA cylinder; as to. oppose the movement of 1 saidl I second piston away from said rst piston; andi means for. holding tand ring a cartridgeffbetween said .-two. pistons-so "that the expanding gases-ren sulting` fromthe explosion thereofmove thesaidftwo'pistons. away from each other.

2. AiirearmV particularly for` the throwing. of grenades or the like, comprising; an elongated cylinder a 4bushing in oneportion thereof and having a bore ,coaxialV with said cylinder; dividingsaid cylinderinto apressurecylinder. and a gref nade barrel; a rst piston reciprocable within saldi pressure cylinder and having a piston rod extending through the bore'in.saidfbushing.` and, into the grenade barrel; a second piston reciprocable within saidcpressure cylinder and having," its piston head facing the headfof said first pis-A ton; handgrip means attached-toI said elongated cylinder andhavinga cartridge chamberI there-- in; a cartridgebarrel connected to said cartridge chamber and extending up into said pressure chamber between the. heads of saidfirst' and.v secondpistons; means within said pressurecham'f ber resiliently opposing the movement of saidy second. piston away, fromsaid cartridgev barrel;.

and means for holding .acartridge in said chamf4 ber and. firing it so that-the-expandingigases:

resulting from theexplosion thereof: passintof theAv pressurer.v cylinder.. to drive v said two pistons:

3. In. a; firearm, 'a pressure, cylinder closed at L onefend; cartridge exploding means; attached to:

the.- pressure cylinder. adjacent. the. closed". end;4

said; means: including; a. cartridge. barrel.; peneeA tratingf the:-y cylinder: and'. being i of.; suchlength; and diameter: astoinsureacompleteapowderiburn ingY "beforeethe: resulting pressure. gas entersfsaid: Ycylinder', .az-.pistani;intsaid .1cy1nder.^having1a conf.-

necting rod and an attached projector plate, a missile barrel `ioined coaxiallyto the pressure cylinder in which barrel the projector plate is displaceable by an inserted missile until the piston is stopped by the cartridge barrel, and a bushing structure at the junction of the pressure cylinder and missile barrel, forming a closure for the other end of the cylinder excepting for a bore in which the connecting rod is movable and which is oversized to permit the discharge of entrapped air ahead of the piston.

EMIL GARRETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Elliott Apr. 18, 1865 Number Number Number 

